Water pipe dispute

[Jakem]

In the 1970s, our farm landlords built new cattle sheds on a greenfield site, and just tapped into the line supplying a farm cottage nearby, which is owned by them, but on our tenancy. Is this still legal ( if it ever was).

I’m just going from memory here but I think the industry act was introduced very early 90s so I’d imagine anything pre this would be exempt, unless of course it leaks and needs to be thrown dead in which case depending on if you did the repair work yourself you could struggle to get it livened up again.

But it could just be me but I wouldn’t be involving the water board or any insurance companys if I had a leak on my property, and I’m sure you wouldn’t be either!!

 

[Jakem]

In the 1970s, our farm landlords built new cattle sheds on a greenfield site, and just tapped into the line supplying a farm cottage nearby, which is owned by them, but on our tenancy. Is this still legal ( if it ever was).

I’d imagine it wound still be classed as legal as there are still thousands of joint supply’s in the ground, but I’m not a Legal eagle so wouldn’t know for sure!

 

[Agriimark]

For what it is worth id say just put in new for yourself with the knowledge of its depth and where it is then just kindly leave a muck heap by said neighbours house [emoji57]

 

[livestock 1]

Your think the water board would be liable to run you a new supply from main to boundary line to comply with the water industry act if leak was no thought of your own?
I’d keep on at them and threaten to take to social media if they are being non cooperative, from working in the industry i know this is one of there big worries.

I have another meter which is the same set up. Water pipe runs from what the water board call service box then through a neighbors fields then through ours then three separate meters two for private houses and one for us. Any leaks on the pipe from service box to meters is a shared cost amongst the three of us.
The water board have said it’s my pipe to repair. The fact it goes through someone else’s garden means they won’t get involved as it’s a dispute. Sounds like they know what to say to walk away

 

[livestock 1]

They are responsible to the meter, you afterwards

No unfortunately that’s not true

 

[livestock 1]

So if you put in a new pipe are you connecting to your stop tap or are you teeing off the neighbours stop tap.
If water board wont put in a new supply you should at least insist on a separate stop tap/supply

They will put me a stop tap in and provide a separate service for me

 

[livestock 1]

They are responsible to the meter, you afterwards

You would think that would be the case though

 

[Jakem]

For what it is worth id say just put in new for yourself with the knowledge of its depth and where it is then just kindly leave a muck heap by said neighbours house [emoji57]

exactly that, just gotta get the new service run in from the water board now, I’d try it on and ask the gang who come to lay it to boundary stopcock for 50mm aswell, a little drink would sort that for them I’d imagine.

 

[Goweresque]

It might be worth pointing out to your neighbour (if you want to try and make him fix his error) that if you are forced to put in a new pipe just for yourself, that the old pipe will now only supply him, only under your land, and as such if there's any issues with it (and its obviously old and leaky already) then he'll be the one the water company are forcing to fix it, and he'll have to deal with you for access/damages to crops etc............and you might feel obliged to be as neighbourly to him as he is being to you.........

 

[livestock 1]

It might be worth pointing out to your neighbour (if you want to try and make him fix his error) that if you are forced to put in a new pipe just for yourself, that the old pipe will now only supply him, only under your land, and as such if there's any issues with it (and its obviously old and leaky already) then he'll be the one the water company are forcing to fix it, and he'll have to deal with you for access/damages to crops etc............and you might feel obliged to be as neighbourly to him as he is being to you.........

Yes his supply goes underneath our farm road before it gets to his property. I would never consider doing any damage to someone else’s supply and walking away. This principle will only work if I act as bigger clown as they do

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

no dont pee the neighbour off, if your going to put in a new pipe then just do it and smile, it will be all yours and and separate from anyone else, and carry on as though nothing has happened

 

[Jakem]

I have another meter which is the same set up. Water pipe runs from what the water board call service box then through a neighbors fields then through ours then three separate meters two for private houses and one for us. Any leaks on the pipe from service box to meters is a shared cost amongst the three of us.
The water board have said it’s my pipe to repair. The fact it goes through someone else’s garden means they won’t get involved as it’s a dispute. Sounds like they know what to say to walk away

Just read that after I had made other reply so forget that and it will be a simple job to just join onto the service box, I’d imagine it’s either a threaded fitting or push fit type fitting depending on age! A photo would be handy of the service box as iv never heard of one, it could be that I’d know it by a different name but interesting to see.

 

[puppet]

Yes his supply goes underneath our farm road before it gets to his property. I would never consider doing any damage to someone else’s supply and walking away. This principle will only work if I act as bigger clown as they do

Send them a bill for the telehandler

 

[livestock 1]

Send them a bill for the telehandler

I did think about that one yes

 

[livestock 1]

Just read that after I had made other reply so forget that and it will be a simple job to just join onto the service box, I’d imagine it’s either a threaded fitting or push fit type fitting depending on age! A photo would be handy of the service box as iv never heard of one, it could be that I’d know it by a different name but interesting to see.

I know all the lads on the water board local ones and they said they would join me in for free but usually they should change apparently

 

[Jakem]

I know all the lads on the water board local ones and they said they would join me in for free but usually they should change apparently

Reading back through your original post it sounds to me like the original contractor is trying his luck and should be liable, could be more hassle than it’s worth though chasing it up!
Sometimes it mite be easier to just let it be and hope you get a nice chance of retribution at some point on the neighbors!!

 

[livestock 1]

Reading back through your original post it sounds to me like the original contractor is trying his luck and should be liable, could be more hassle than it’s worth though chasing it up!
Sometimes it mite be easier to just let it be and hope you get a nice chance of retribution at some point on the neighbors!!

That is our thoughts exactly. It isn’t worth the faff on. What they’ve done is wrong in principle though

 

[Deutzdx3]

The stop tap is 200m from the meter. They want me to renew the pipe from stop tap to meter which they say is my responsibility to do so.

Do it with a pre metered T and run two pipes. One legit and one not so. By you doing it, it allows artistic licence so to speak. [emoji57]

 

[Kidds]

Put it down to experience and put your own supply in.
As suggested put a tap in the other one and wait a few months before turning it off for a few hours every now and then.

A dish best served cold.

 

[Exfarmer]

In the 1970s, our farm landlords built new cattle sheds on a greenfield site, and just tapped into the line supplying a farm cottage nearby, which is owned by them, but on our tenancy. Is this still legal ( if it ever was).

Very common in those days. We had a water supply put in when they put in some councl housing, no meter in sight. They even repaired it when a leak appeared under a car park